During the family stay, you will find yourself in situations that will require you to use your problem solving, social and cross-cultural communication skills. With your peers, practice at least one of the following role plays to work through how you might handle the scenario. You may use English to work out the scenario but then practice how you would communicate your message in the target language.
You have just arrived in your host family’s home and they are excited to talk with you and get to know you. The family members are talking so fast and they think you understand everything in the target language. The truth is, you really don’t understand very much. How, when and where will you explain this to the family members?
You are about to have your first meal with your host family and they offer you wine or beer with your meal. You don’t want to offend your host family but the rules for the trip prohibit you from drinking alcohol in any setting. What will you do?
It is after dinner and it is late. Your host sibling has asked you if you want to go out to a party. You are feeling very tired and although you would like to go if it was earlier, you really need to sleep. How will you explain to your host sibling that maybe another night would be better to go out?
You just arrived at a party with your host brother or sister. You notice right away that many of the students are drinking and smoking. Do you stay at the party or do you ask your host sibling to take you home? How would you handle the situation if you stayed? How would you ask your host sibling to leave if you are uncomfortable?
You have been in your family stay for 3 days now. You really like your family and are enjoying your time with them. You notice that some money is missing from your suitcase. You suspect that the youngest child (4 years old) in the home may have taken it. You don’t want to cause any problems, you understand that young children sometimes are curious and take things without knowing it is wrong, but you need the money back and you would like to raise this issue with the host family. How would you handle the conversation?
You really like your host sibling and you like to hang out with him/her. However, they have a girl/boy-friend that is hanging out with you both almost all the time. You are not comfortable with this and you would prefer to spend more time with your host sibling and his/her other friends. You plan to speak with your host sibling about the situation and you hope your host sibling agrees with you. What will you say? What if your host sibling does not agree with you?
You remain in contact with two of your U.S. American traveling companions during the family stay. You learn that their host families take them out frequently to visit various sites. You like your host family but they don’t go out at all and haven’t taken you anywhere. Your host family likes to talk about politics and they watch a lot of television and read newspapers. You want to change your host family because they are boring. What would you do?
Small group time needed: 1 Hour
During the family stay, you will find yourself in situations that will require you to use your problem solving, social and cross-cultural communication skills. With your peers, practice at least one of the following role plays to work through how you might handle the scenario. You may use English to work out the scenario but then practice how you would communicate your message in the target language.